City Press reports that the jobs blood bath in the poultry industry has gathered pace, with almost 800 jobs set to be lost at RCL Foods’ plant and farms in KwaZulu-Natal.
Japhta Malinga of the Food and Allied Workers Union (Fawu) said on Friday the union was “hopeful” that the offer of voluntary severance packages and relocations would “save as many jobs as possible” at RCL Foods (formerly Rainbow Chicken). Out of the 778 RCL staff expected to lose their jobs, 531 people have taken packages and 247 workers face forced retrenchment – while an additional 577 employees will take the relocation option. The company is apparently cutting jobs was in the face of losses caused by the sale of 27,500 tons of imported chicken a month. More layoffs are looming at Astral Poultry, which employs 1,500 workers at its Hammarsdale operation.
- Read this report by Paddy Harper in full at City Press
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